In new pics, Gomez, 18, Bieber, 16, appear to almost be holding hands -- but not quite.

But both young stars have insisted their hangouts are purely platonic. "Oh my gosh! It was just pancakes!" Gomez told UsMagazine.com last week after it was reported they held hands and were "cuddly" at IHOP.

"They are just friends, and have been for a long time," Bieber's rep told Us. "He's single."

Gomez explained recently to MTV how their friendship began: "When he first started to come over from Canada his manager contacted me and he just said that he would like to meet me and he was just such a good kid...I feel like a big sister now, 'cause I want to protect him."